American Airlines Announces Changes to Checked Bag Charges

aa.com, 7/24/2009 (excerpted)

American Airlines today announced changes to charges for checking a first or second bag. The charges will increase for domestic-travel tickets that are purchased on or after Aug. 14, 2009. The changes apply for travel within the United States and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The changes also apply to travelers on American's regional affiliate, American Eagle, as well as AmericanConnection flights.

For tickets purchased on or after the effective date, the first checked bag will be $20 and the charge for a second checked bag will be $30, up from the current charges of $15 and $25 respectively. The current checked bag charges to and from Canada are not changing at this time.

Here are some examples of exceptions for travelers who do not pay any checked bag charge - other exemptions may also apply - see AA.com/baggage for details:

  • American's AAdvantage program members who have achieved AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Executive Platinum levels, as well as one world(®) Alliance Emerald, Sapphire or Ruby members;
  • Those who have purchased tickets in the First and Business Class cabins, as well as those who purchased full-fare tickets in the Economy Class cabin;
  • Those with international itineraries (except to and from U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Checked bag charges to and from Canada, as noted, are not changing at this time and remain at current levels.

Customers may pay checked bag charges at an airport Self-Service Machine, the curbside check-in counter, or at any airport ticket counter.

 

American Aims For Alliance Approval By October

airwise.com, 7/29/2009 (excerpted)

American Airlines expects to win US approval by October to form an alliance with British Airways and Spain's Iberia, and it is pinning its hopes on intra-alliance competition and global partnerships to help it survive, an executive said on Wednesday.

American Airlines parent AMR, British Airways, Europe's third-largest carrier by revenue, and Iberia have applied for US government antitrust immunity to form a transatlantic alliance to work together on fares, schedules and cost cutting.

The carriers have been under growing pressure after the US government earlier this month approved a similar request by Continental Airlines to join United Airlines in the global Star Alliance, giving Star Alliance members a competitive advantage on some international routes.

BA and American had an application for antitrust immunity rejected in 2001 due to concerns that the alliance would have control of an unfair number of takeoff and landing slots at London's Heathrow airport.

(Reuters)

 

Airport Check-in

Roger Yu, USA TODAY, 7/27/2009 (excerpted)

American Airlines is testing 20 mobile devices at Boston Logan that let agents check bags and provide gate information while roaming the lobby. Eventually, the devices will print boarding passes and upgrade seats. After the six-week test, the airline may introduce it at other airports.